UW Film Club Podcast #101: Days Of Heaven

“Your podcast keep you warm at night, does she?”

In this episode, join us for a discussion on Terrence Malick’s visual masterpiece about love and loss at the turn of the century. We talk about the movie’s oddly divisive narration, the importance of substance in a movie so loved for its style, and so… much… wheat…

UW Film Club · Episode #101 – Days of Heaven (1978) – UW Film Club Podcast

On this episode: Sofia Geherin, Willow Goetting

You can find us on Facebook at /UWFilmClub, and on Twitter and Instagram @FilmClubUW. Make sure to rate, comment, and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and Google Play, and tune in every week for a new episode of the UW Film Club Podcast!

Review: ‘Woman of the Hour’ Falls Short of Prime Time

Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, is out now on Netflix, but is it worth the watch? The true crime/thriller follows aspiring actress Sheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick) as a contestant on The Dating Show, a popular show that first aired in 1965. Set in Los Angeles in 1978 (with frequent time-jumps/backs), Bradshaw is unaware that contestant number three is the then uncaught serial killer, Rodney Alcala (played wonderfully by Daniel Zovatto). The sadistic killer was suspicious to any woman he met yet invincible to capture from law enforcement. Between the past, present, and future, one fact rings true throughout the film: he should not have gotten away with all of this. As promising as Kendrick’s debut seems, the pacing and questionable writing make the film seem like a pastiche of a true crime documentary.  

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Review: ‘Your Monster’ Claws its Way into the Heart

Horror darling Melissa Barrera returns in this delightfully twisted romantic horror-comedy that proves monsters can be the best roommates. First-time director Caroline Lindy adapts her own short film into a feature-length exploration of grief, growth, and the unexpected comfort of closet-dwelling creatures. Laura Franco (Barrera) stumbles back to her childhood home, fresh from battling cancer and nursing a brutally broken heart, only to find her childhood Monster (Tommy Dewey) still lurking in her old closet—and he’s not exactly rolling out the welcome mat. Barrera’s portrayal of Laura as an emotional hurricane in human form perfectly matches the film’s darkly whimsical tone, creating something that feels like a spiritual successor to this year’s Lisa Frankenstein. The production design embraces its theatrical roots with gusto, from the pitch-perfect “theater kid” aesthetic to the impressive practical effects that bring the furry protagonist to life. Your Monster emerges as this season’s surprise gem, offering a perfect blend of scares and heart that shows sometimes the scariest thing isn’t the monster in your closet—it’s letting yourself be vulnerable again. 

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Review: ‘Anora’: An Intricate Portrayal of Sex Work

Writer-director Sean Baker is known for taking on films involving sex work, whether it’s a subtle but powerful supporting background element (The Florida Project) or directly linked to the main character (Red Rocket). Now, he brings audiences an entertaining and empathetic perspective from this community with Anora. Winner of the 2024 Palme d’Or, Anora subverts negative stereotypes of sex work to portray a complex woman amid a complex relationship.

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Review: Somehow, Heartbreak Feels Good in ‘We Live in Time’

To imagine Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, two of the most versatile and beloved actors of our generation, starring in a romance film with an innately heart-wrenching premise, our expectations would certainly be high, and We Live in Time successfully reaches that bar.

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UW Film Club Podcast #100: SIFFTY Recap

In a very special episode 100 of the podcast, we discuss our favorite films and experiences from the 2024 Seattle International Film Festival — SIFFTY! Special thanks to SIFF for sponsoring our club throughout the festival.

On this episode: Harrison Hall, Jocelyne Booth

You can find us on Facebook at /UWFilmClub, and on Twitter and Instagram @FilmClubUW. Make sure to rate, comment, and subscribe to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, Spotify, and Google Play, and tune in every week for a new episode of the UW Film Club Podcast!

Review: ‘Civil War’ Doesn’t Quite Hit the Target

Civil War is a frightening vision of what America could become. Through the lens of a group of war photographers and journalists, director Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation) captures the horrors of a United States in the middle of a civil war. But why is this happening? And does the film’s logic make sense? The bigger question one might be considering is whether that is important from the perspective of the journalists at the forefront of the film. The only story left to capture in this hellscape is an interview with the president (Nick Offerman). From New York to Washington, D.C., they must traverse through cities filled with death and gun happy soldiers.  While Civil War is artfully shot with an ensemble worthy of the highest praise, the questions left unanswered distract from the enjoyment and understanding of Garland’s film. There are so many interpretations to be made with the lack of context we’re given that the director’s intentions get lost somewhere amid the chaos. 

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Review: ‘Immaculate’ Sins in Most of the Right Places

Ten years ago, Sydney Sweeney (who plays protagonist Sister Cecilia) auditioned for a role in Immaculate, but the film never came to fruition. With newfound fame, Sweeney tracked down original screenwriter Andrew Lobel, got director Michael Mohan (The Voyeurs) hired, and produced the film with Neon. And finally, Immaculate was born. The film follows Cecilia, an American nun who joins an Italian convent and mysteriously becomes pregnant. Hailed as a “saint” by old nuns, Cecilia figures that something sinister is brewing in the church. Rounding out the cast are Álvaro Morte as Father Tedeschi, Benedetta Porcaroli as Sister Gwen, and Dora Romano as Mother Superior. Immaculate falls prey to cheap jump scares but delivers a genuinely well-crafted religious horror film. 

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Review: ‘Problemista’ Underscores the Difficulty of Being an Aspiring Artist with Imagination and Sincerity

Creativity doesn’t have to be some awful, chaotic being that destroys your humanity. Inherently, it could be that little voice in your head that makes your writing unique. The process of achieving recognition in some creative sector is a different kind of chaos that proliferated writer, director, and star Julio Torres in his journey to gaining a work visa in the U.S. and becoming a comedy writer. How hard can it be?  

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Review: ‘Love Lies Bleeding’ is the Raunchy Neo-Noir We’ve All Been Waiting For

Five years ago, British filmmaker Rose Glass wrote and directed the subversive and controversial Saint Maud, another film produced by A24. Taking a turn away from the horror genre, Glass makes her comeback with the Kristen Stewart led neo-noir film, Love Lies Bleeding. Stewart plays Lou, a chain-smoking gym manager with a shady past. The film is also led by Katy O’Brian, Ed Harris, Dave Franco, and Jena Malone. O’Brian plays Jackie, a traveling bodybuilder training for a Vegas competition, who finds herself in the New Mexico desert. A run in with Franco’s devious character, JJ, allows her to attain a job with Lou’s father, Lou Sr. Shortly after that, Jackie and Lou fall hard in love and give in to every incriminating impulse on the way; sense doesn’t exist in this 1980s microcosm of lawless mania.  

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